Tank with a slow leak

[Wyld-Fyre]

What a pain in the neck!

For the last month, I was wondering why my flat smelt a bit (too) fishy.

Going through my quarterly clean-out, and in the process of removing the gravel, found that the area under the glass, directly in contact with the ground, had a strange colour.

This raised my suspicions, but couldn't do anything about it until I had the entire tanks' bit'n'bobs cleared out. Once this was done, shifted the tank an inch, and my suspicions were realised....I had a slow leak.

What a nasty surprise and a fishy stink that I can do without. Planning to get rid of the tank, and maybe some of the fishes.

Anyone else had a nasty surprise recently?

 

[Jen21]

That is truly my worst nightmare... is that common? I've always wondered about my tank cracking.... I hope you can get a new tank!

 

[yvez9]

i noticed my room stank too last week.

turns out a borneo i had just added had managed to climp out of the tank and get stuck between the background and the glass

he was all dried up...

There's also my siamese flying fox that went MIA last week. I never found him but there's no stench so I kinda quit the searching

 

[OohFeeshy]

Couldn't you seal it up? I mean, if its only a small crack in a pricy tank, its better to patch it up than chuck it out. Well, IMO anway...

 

[DannyBoy17]

One of my snails climbed out

--Dan

 

[danbedfordshire]

hey kribs, im in beds area, so if ur getting rid of some fish, let me know what uve got, i can accom them in a nice new home!!

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

Thanks for the input guys'n'gals.

Lucky I'd found the cause, and even luckier that my quarterly clean-out had uncovered it. Having a cleaning rota can really help.

The old goat I'd bought the tank from said there were nothing wrong with the tank. Pants on fire!

Old tank, so I guess it could be a failing seal. How long does a seal last for?

I don't have the time to repair it, but I do have a potential buyer for some of the fishes. I'm reluctant to sell up. (Sorry Dan (the Beds man)).

Now,, how do I get rid of the stink coming from that patch of floor? A squeeze of lemon perhaps?

 

[pahansen]

I'm in the US, but here we have a lot of enzymatic cleaners that work well for pet messes. I'm guessing that anything that can get rid of the cat urine smell will clean a small fishy smell right up! They work by neutralizing the bacteria or whatever is producing the smell, rather than just covering up the scent. They are generally safe on sealed woodwork and carpeting, although you'll want to check a spot first to make sure it doesn't cause the color to bleed.

To get the best results with these cleaners, you'll want to soak the area (down through the carpeting pad, if you have any) and allow it to dry naturally. For a strong smell, you can cover the area with plastic, such as a trash bag or painting drop cloth, so that the cleaning product evaporates more slowly. The longer it has to work, the more effective it will be.

I can say from experience that we have had both an older cat prone to "bathroom problems" and good experiences with these products. My favorite is called Nature's Miracle, which works very well and has a light, non-offensive, somewhat citrusy scent. It's a bit more expensive than the other products, but works quite well. If this particular brand is not available in the UK, just ask at a local pet store in the "pet stains" area.

Good luck,
Pamela

EDIT: Lemon can bleach carpeting and woodwork, so be careful if you try it. White vinegar may work, as it tends to neutralize odors and is less likely to cause colors to bleed, but again -- make sure you test a spot first to make sure it doesn't bleach anything.